The Little House on the Hill

Bob in a bag

Monday, 30 March 2015

Wow it is sooo long since I last blogged. (now that sounds like a Sunday Confession lol) I have visited you all and looked at your creations So many beautiful things and so many talented people.I have been crafting

Quilt started and finished,

Button bouquet and flowers made.

Three embroideries for my etsy store

Button ball decorations made

Craft room cleaned and garage sale held

New facebook groups joined.

A UFO re-purposed

I am a member of theQuilt Club Australia Group via facebook. What a great group, lots of eye candy to look at, lots of information and a very supportive group willing to share hints and tips.

I was a member of a yahoo group for making fabric postcard and enjoyed making and swapping cards. Sadly Yahoo made changes and the group was very hard to access. Recently I found an Australian group on facebook, Aussie Fabric Post Card Swap . This month I am taking part in my first swap, the theme is the letter L hmmmm. Lace, lollies, lavender or maybe lipstick I am yet to decide. It is always exciting to see what your partner has made. Aussie fabric Postcard

One of my completed embroideries. He is so sweet, I enjoyed making this

Saturday, 24 January 2015

While I have been out of action the Reverse Quilter took the time to replace the floor in my sewing room. Yes the house had new carpets when we purchased it but every day use has highlighted the damaged floorboards under the new carpet.

The renovations gave us a day out, the nearest big hardware store is 2 hours away. We travelled through the beautiful Brisbane hinterland through Malaney, visited Morayfield and ended up in Coloundra. Perhaps not the most direct route but certainly a lovely drive. We managed to get all we needed at Bunnings and moved everything out of my sewing room into the kitchen and other rooms. ( Christmas lunch was eaten from trays on our laps)

The reverse Quilter painted and replace the flooring, I helped to drill in screws while sitting on a desk chair and managed not to hurt my knee. I think the end result are well worth the disruption to my kitchen and having to dodge computers, sewing machines and other craft bits to cook Christmas lunch.

I wanted new curtains but the only fabric I had was intended for the guest room. This is what I came up with. I think it looks OK and suits a sewing room.

Tuesday, 6 January 2015

After a visit to the specialist I am still not allowed to put pressure on my knee and no climbing stairs. Started exercises with the physiotherapist yesterday. to do them twice a day and the back to the specialist in a month. Not being able to use my machine has given me time to make lots of Hexagons and sew them together.

Monday, 15 December 2014

We have had our lunch for Monday's Mah-jong group. A very pleasant meal at historical Ringsfield House, one of the first homes in Nanango and and the first hospital in the area. Lunch consisted of chicken with cashew sauce, lots of salads followed by cheese cake and cream.

Last Saturday Thelga and I travelled to Maidenwell a small town with a population of about 500. On the third Saturday of the month we get together with a group of about 20 crafters. They are a great bunch of ladies who are more than willing to share ideas and teach each other new skills.

Playing games before lunch.To get our gifts we played pass the parcel with a twist. Dawn told a story about Mr Jones who saw Mrs Right go Left. The story continued and each time we heard left or right we passed the present left or right. At the end of the story you kept the one in front of you.

After lots of fun we finally got to open our gifts

Thelga opening her gift

After opening our gifts were over we wondered over to the Maidenwell cafe to enjoy a wonderful lunch of baked ham, cold chicken and salads including a delicious mango one. The lunch was followed by plum pudding and custard, YUMWe decided we would buy a charm pack as our gifts this year

Sunday, 30 November 2014

Until the 1970's needlework was taught to all Australian girls at school. We started with simple projects, cross stitched on gingham, graduated to embroidering and making linen for our Glory Box.

Then on to dress making, pattern drafting and tailoring. We learnt how to smock, set in sleeves, make four different pockets and collars. There was the flat seam, the french seam and the flat fell seam. Not to mention facings, linings, fastenings, button holes, slip hemmed hems, bound hems, shaped hems, faced shaped hem and shelled edged hems. We made nighties with lace and lawn, babies clothes,designed our débutante dress, wedding dress and made our going away outfit. We learnt about fabrics, what they were made of and how best to use them

I suppose back then it was important we knew these things, our mothers made our clothes, darned our socks and if you wanted something nice for the home you made it. Societies expectation of most women was to become a wife and mother. Time moves on and the gentle crafts are no longer taught in schools.

Looking for something to do while waiting for the swelling to go down in my leg I came a cross a supper cloth I purchased for Needlework classes in my final year of school. Bit of a challenge, the instructions have been lost over the years but I am pleased with the progress so far.

With an operation on my knee this week and 9 weeks recovery this is one W.I.P I will WIMP lol